You and Me
by quidditch7
Summary: Shy Neville and unreserved Luna became friends quickly and worked together in hard times to keep Hogwarts safe...becoming even closer in the process. Four years after the war they see eachother again and they might just be ready for something more.


You and Me

"Neville!"

His heart stopped for a moment at the sound of his friend's voice. He turned around hastily to see his short and petite companion running toward him. She stopped abruptly a few feet in front of him, skidding to a halt, while breathing excitedly. A large piece of her vibrant blond hair fell into her face from behind one of her radish adorned ears.

"Luna!" he exclaimed a little quieter; yet the two were receiving attention from many of the Hogwarts students as they were standing right in front of the Great Hall.

"I was just about to take a trip to greenhouse 1, would you like to come along?" He wasn't sure why, but he blushed and felt a sense of nervousness creep inside him fearing that she would say no. They had not seen each other since a month after the final battle, and that had been nearly four years ago. For four long years their only communication had been through surprisingly vague letters.

"That sounds fun," she replied enthusiastically and Neville let out a great breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

As they walked out of Hogwarts and onto the grounds toward the greenhouse, the humid air encased them instantly. It was a typical beautiful spring day, but the humidity made it slightly uncomfortable to do anything more than walk around outside. A threstral bound into the air rising out of the tops of the trees in the forest and Luna and Neville smiled at each other sadly while thinking of their days at Hogwarts. The pair did not speak as Luna hummed quietly. They might have once provided an odd visual for passerby; Luna in her flashy clothing and humming to herself, and Neville in his oversized robes wearing a goofy smile, yet no one dared ever criticize them. They were two of the bravest people to ever attend Hogwarts.

Luna was the first to speak just as they reached the entrance to the massive and sweltering greenhouse.

"It's very good that you are the Herbologist professor, you were always so interested in plants." Neville smiled appreciatively at her.

"I heard you've been traveling," he remarked as he headed over to a table overflowing with pots full of puffapods. Luna followed him and stood very near to him. Neville suddenly became aware of the sweat trickling down the back of his neck.

"Oh yes! It's been most enjoyable. Did you know that Ronald arranged for his brother Charlie to show me around the dragon reserve in Romania? It was fascinating, though I find _exotic_ creatures much more interesting." Neville wanted to ask what was more exotic than a humongous fire breathing monster, but he held back because he was not up for one of her bizarre stories. Though he sometimes enjoyed her tales and he had heard she'd become less accepting of her father's beliefs (while still remaining eccentric), he felt he couldn't stand to speak of such trivial things just then. The only thing he could concentrate on was the surge of emotion rising in his chest. He didn't know what was going on but he felt a certain pull toward Luna he had never sensed before.

"I've missed you," he said loudly as if the rising/building emotion had caused the words to explode from his mouth.

He lowered his head and felt his cheeks flare as he busied himself with harvesting the puffapods. He'd managed to transfer a few pods before he felt the need to look up again and saw Luna smiling brightly at him.

"You were very good to me at Hogwarts. You were a true friend." Neville felt a pang in his stomach at her last word, yet he wasn't quite sure why. "Except you weren't really a _friend_ to me when we left each other's company after the war, were you?" Luna's eyebrows were knit in concentration and for the first time ever Neville felt himself become angry with her. He didn't realize he was shaking (whether from nerves or anger) until he dropped a puffapod which burst into flower the instant it hit the ground. He tried to wipe the dirt off his hands by brushing them on his robes roughly but failed miserably. He turned to face her and waited for her to expand on her comment, but when she didn't he shook his head slightly.

"Well I'd better go; I have to prepare for my next lesson which is in thirty minutes. I haven't even finished grading my students' parchments yet." He turned to walk away but Luna grabbed the back of his robes.

"I do wish you'd stay. Our conversation has been very interesting up until this point. But I came for a reason, not to look at plants or talk about my travels…though both subjects are fascinating." She was tugging on her odd earrings uncertainly. Neville could not help but smile hesitantly and he felt his anger subside greatly. He was so glad she still wore her radish earrings, even if they did clash horridly with her red blouse.

She smiled back at him pleasantly and placed a hand on his arm lightly. Neville tried to suppress his look of surprise as she ran her hand down his forearm and brushed the front of his dirt stained hand with her soft fingertips.

"Wh-what did you need to talk to me about Luna?" She pulled her hand away from his and Neville was left feeling cold. He hadn't seen her in such a long time yet here she was again stirring up his simple and seemingly satisfying existence, filling his life of grey with so many shades of color.

"Well I suppose I should just come out and say it quickly," yet she was silent for a full minute before continuing. "Neville,I believe that you were _more_ than a friend to me at the end of our time at Hogwarts. I believe we are meant to be more. You and me. Together."

Luna smiled up into his stunned face in such a lighthearted manner that Neville could feel his pulse rate quicken. She was so special, he'd always known it…but it was so palpable in that moment. Everything about her was special. His mind was moving so quickly and he was suddenly struck with so many questions he yearned to ask her. He wanted all the answers, and he wanted to be the only person in the world to know everything about her complex and exuberant life. He wanted to know how she made her radish earrings, and what she had done every second in the past four years they had not seen each other, and if she still missed her mother as much as he missed what his mother and father could have been to him. He wanted to know everything.

He came out of his stupor as she began to speak again, "But I understand completely that you feel differently."

He almost wanted to cry because the look on her face was one he had never seen upon her delicate and telling facade before. She was genuinely distressed by his silence and

his supposed rejection of her.

"Oh Luna!" he managed to whisper before taking two steps toward her and wrapping his long arms around her tiny body and enveloping her into an affectionate hug.

"Ohhh you DO like me!" came her muffled words directed into his chest as he still held her to him closely. And the way that she sounded like such a young child as her voice rose in excitement made Neville care for her that much more.

**A/N:** This is a repost if you are wondering! I wanted to fix a few things up and put it back up!


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